Sunday, March 4, 2012

Acknowledge Him In All Your Ways

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Proverbs 3:6

When God speaks, He means it. He promised that His word will never return void, meaning that It is a productive Word and therefore It will produce what It is sent out to do. I remember a song we used to sing in my church at home that said, "Every promise in the Book is mine, every chapter, every word, every line." As children of God we have a right to the promises of God. They are not for a selective few, like maybe those who read the Word more, or who go church more often, no they are for every child of God. The only criteria for seeing these promises bear fruit in our lives is the knowledge of Jesus Christ according to 2 Peter 1:3 & 4. If we don't know the Word of God about finances, how can we use it as we believe God for the manifestation of the prosperity He has already provided? If we don't know that His word says we were healed with the stripes of Jesus, what will we use as a basis for healing even when we feel pain? The promises therefore are for each of us, and the only limit is a knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

So therefore, in keeping with His desire for us to experience that abundant life, He promises that as we acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths. There are no ifs or buts, He said it and He meant it; He will direct our paths.

I see a fascinating story of this played out in the 24th chapter of Genesis as Abraham was old and well advanced in age. His wife Sarah had now died and out of concern for his son Isaac, Abraham called to him Eliezer, his eldest and it seemed, most trusted servant. This was the servant whom Abraham thought would be heir to his house when he didn't have any children as yet. (Gen 15:2) He said to the servant Eliezer, "put your hand under my thigh and swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I have settled, but that thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac."Gen. 24: 2-4

I know we often, and rightly so, look at Abraham and his desire to go back to his people in choosing a wife for Isaac, but today stay with me a minute and look at the actions of this servant Eliezer who was entrusted with this task. God opened my heart this morning to see the actions of this servant in a new light and to use them as an example. I want to encourage you to do the same as well.

After Abraham had expressed his wishes to the servant about finding a wife for Isaac, Eliezer swore to him that he would do as he asked. He then took ten camels and departed for Abraham's country, to the city of Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. As Eliezer stopped by the well where the women of the city were expected to come at that time of the evening, note the first thing he did: He prayed. In Gen. 24: 12 he turned to God and basically said, "Lord, show favor to my master Abraham, Lord, You be the one to work this all out and give me success today." Even though he had the wisdom to stop at the well at just the appropriate time, and he had the camels with him, Eliezer didn't lean to his own understanding, he invited God into the circumstances. The bible says that before he finished speaking, behold, out came Rebekah.

From the start of his journey to the finish, Eliezer acknowledged God. He took no chances at all and God came through on his eternal promise, He directed His path.

As Rebekah gave the camels water, he watched her, waiting on the Holy Spiirt to show him if the Lord had made his trip prosperous. After inquiring about her background and then having revelation of God's supernatural provision Eliezer bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord. (Gen.24:26) Oh bless his heart. I believe that he had seen the examples of God's faithfulness in Abraham's life and because of that developed his own personal trust in God. This was a man who didn't just talked to the God of Abraham, he talked to Eliezer's God.

When Rebekah's father and brother accepted the hand of God in the situation and said Rebekah could go to become Isaac's wife, what did Eliezer do? He bowed himself to the ground before the Lord. (Gen.24:52) What a man of God!

He didn't just give a mental assent to God, he bowed down and worshipped the Almighty One, over and over and over again, for he knew only an omnipotent, omnipresent God could perform a miracle like this. It was Abraham's desire to have a wife for Isaac from his people and that's exactly what happened.

I have been faced with some challenges lately that have left me at times feeling sorry for myself and then at other times in confusion not knowing what to do next. As I read and listened this morning to the story of Abraham's search for a wife for Isaac, one thing came through clearly for me; whatever I do I need to acknowledge God.

There are times when I think I know what's best in certain situations, but I can only see so far. God has a better vantage point than I do. It is my heart's desire to trust Him in all my ways. I don't want to serve God half-heartedly opening up certain places but not allowing Him access to other areas. The Word of God is full of examples of those who acknowledged God and He totally directed their paths, but there are also those who followed their own way of doing things and paid dearly for it.

As the Holy Spirit gently nudges my heart today, I will look to Him. He only wants what is best for me. How about you?

You are so right Terri it really isn't easy even though its worth it. I think what I'm learning to do in the midst of my circumstances is to discipline my flesh, my will and my heart, to look to God for the answers even when I don't want to wait on His timing. It is a daily dying to myself. His outcomes are always perfect so its worth any pain and discomfort that I may have to suffer, but it takes time.BlessingsVickie